Federal government allocates $474 million for GTA transit and cycling infrastructure projects

Federal government infrastructure funds will help pay significant costs for Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), cycling and other transit infrastructure projects in the GTA.

The $474 million in federal funding for the GTA area is part of $1.49 billion in resources under the federal Public Transit Infrastructure fund. The province and municipalities must come up with the other 50 per cent.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne announced the joint federal provincial program during an August news conference at a municipal transit garage in Barrie, while federal finance minister Bill Morneau participated in a parallel press conference focusing on Toronto projects.

“This is big news for Toronto,” Morneau said at the St. Clair West subway station.

The Toronto money will go toward fixing up bridges, a subway yard upgrade and replacing a fire main at Wilson Yard, along with upgrades to buses and streetcars, according to a government news release, which included a list of projects to be covered by the funding. The date is listed in the federal documents as the “anticipated start date,” indicating that many of the projects have already commenced.